Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

rustyscout31 said:Regrettably, my mother nearly died from starvation. In the 21st century, no less. She was constantly vomiting, and they had her on IV fluids at the emergency room. No one even considered the small intestine; they were strictly focused on the stomach and the large intestine. Eventually, after an exhausting struggle to find competent physicians, it was determined that she had thickening in her small intestine, making it impossible for food to pass through...
If my doctor—who happens to be a friend—hadn't insisted on immediate surgery, my poor mother would have starved to death...
She is currently at 49 kg following the operation and a diagnosis of jejunal adenocarcinoma. She relies on Ensure and various supplements prescribed by her oncologist to bolster both her physical strength and her immune system. While weight isn't the primary metric, her body simply must be resilient enough to endure chemotherapy... Personally, I would be much more relieved if she could put on a few pounds... So...

That is horrific. It is a relief that everything turned out okay...🙏

In our case, we stopped giving Mom Ensure about two months after her surgery, mainly because we didn't want her to become overly reliant on it and refuse actual meals. Instead, we prepared fresh juices every day—orange, apple, celery, carrot—which she would drink in the morning alongside breakfast, while we cooked fresh lunches and dinners for her... We made a point of ensuring she only ate freshly prepared food, and whenever she became difficult about eating—forgive the expression—we essentially coddled her like a toddler, coaxing her with "just one more bite, just one more..." The most vital thing is that her immunity remains strong...

Amy Jones20 said:Hello,

Has anyone here actually tried using shiitake mushrooms as a supplement for cancer treatment?

We have breast cancer in the family, and I've heard about this Dr. Jakopović—I think that's his name—who advocates for mushroom therapy, claiming it's effective.

I’m really hoping to hear some firsthand experiences if anyone has them before we commit to this route, especially since one course of treatment costs roughly $1167 and you need several of them....

I bought some shiitake-based capsules for my mom once. They're marketed for immune support, antioxidants, and supposedly preventing tumor spread. A box runs about $230 or so, and if I recall correctly, it comes with 60 capsules. My neighbor actually splits her orders, so let me know if you want in on the next batch.
As for that doctor, I haven't heard of him, and frankly, I don't trust people like that.

Hey there, thanks. 🙂

We were using Prosure—we bought a little bit, though we definitely got more out of it than what we paid for—and we stopped once we ran through our supply because we just wanted Mom to be able to eat somewhat normally. Her doctor wasn't exactly eager to write a prescription for it, though, since she "eats enough" in his eyes. I try my best to keep things varied and consistent, making sure everything is as healthy as possible, but I have to prep everything myself and basically watch over her while she eats, at least for those three main meals.

In my mind, diet is the absolute most important factor, so I focus on making vegetable-heavy soups with grains (when I can actually get her to swallow them) and stews; there’s really nothing else available. I make sure she gets juices, fruit whenever possible, meat when she asks for it, and all of it on a regular schedule. Since I'm a vegetarian and try not to live solely on snacks, I don't find it difficult to whip something up for her too. I won't mention that I marinated chicken in soy sauce just to make it tasty for her, or that I slipped a spoonful of ground flaxseed into her smoothie. 😁 Naturally, she’ll just insist on "a little ham and bread." Sure. Fine. But even then, she needs something extra that I blend together for her. 😛
As for her appetite, well, she refuses to admit when she's hungry, but I can tell how things are going by the way she eats. It’s likely just one of those things that keeps her occupied. She'll say things like, "I'm not hungry, not right now, oh goodness, that's way too much, I couldn't possibly eat that, it'll make me feel sick," and then she ends up eating it anyway. What is better than before is her digestion; it isn't perfect every single day, but it's much more regular than it used to be. It’s been a long time since we had to resort to those little suppositories, herbal teas, or any of those various supplements and remedies we tried.

And this business with that doctor specializing in mushrooms, I'm not so sure. I don't personally trust anyone selling miracle capsules or tonics for huge amounts of money, but if it works for someone, why not? We are also (again) taking Noni, though I think I messed up with the Ginkgo; I gave it to her for circulation, but her blood pressure started fluctuating wildly. She isn't taking it anymore, so we'll see if that was the cause. Maybe someone with more muscle wouldn't even notice, but with her few pounds, everything hits her hard. Or maybe it's just these crazy times. 🤷

...so, I was scrolling through Google under that heading we talked about, and this is basically what I had in mind.....

I mean, I don't really have any firsthand experience with it, personally....🙄

Has anyone here had any personal experience with Xelod tablets for chemotherapy? My mom is scheduled to start her treatment on May 26th, and while her oncologist is being very reassuring, claiming that side effects are actually quite rare...🤷

rustyscout31 said:Does anyone have experience with Xelod tablets? My mom starts her chemo regimen on May 26th. Her oncologist is insisting that side effects are extremely rare, but I'm skeptical.🤷

Hey.
My cousin went through chemo and handled it like a champ. He didn't even lose his hair. He stayed on top of it by taking some natural immune boosters from the States alongside his regular treatment. If anyone actually wants to know what he was using, let me know. I'll look into it, but I don't have the specifics on hand right now.

On this heavy, somber Thursday, my dear mother passed away. She was only 49. It’s been nearly three years since that initial glioma diagnosis, and she spent this last year unable to move. We spent her final ten days at the hospital as things took a turn for the worse, and honestly, we kept holding onto this flickering hope that she might actually make it back home to us.
She spent her entire life, including those grueling final years, surrounded by the people who loved her most. Even in those very last moments, she wasn't alone; my sister, my wife, my sister's partner, and I were all right there by her side. Just like she did throughout her whole life, she fought until the very end.
She truly was an extraordinary woman. Her entire existence was centered around her family—her kids, her husband, her parents. It was always about taking care of us, never about herself.

Thank you for everything, Mom.
Your spirit will live on through us and through our children forever.

Elizabeth Diaz60, I truly feel for you😢
Take some comfort in knowing you handled this whole situation with incredible courage; you should be proud of yourself. I’m certain your mother is looking down on all of you with so much pride. I believe she’s in a peaceful, special place right now, much like my own mother is. I don't know if you've noticed, but there was a common thread among everyone we've followed here who has passed away. They were exceptionally kind, noble, and selfless people who lived through love every single day. In my view, people like that are the very reason this world exists in the first place—because of the pure, selfless love they pour into those closest to them. Even though they left us far too soon—partly because they are our kin, and partly because a world filled with sorrow needs souls like theirs—I am convinced they closed their chapter in the most meaningful way possible.
May they rest in peace, and may all of us who have lost loved ones, especially you today, find peace in our hearts and souls. They left us with a legacy of exactly what they believed in and lived by.

Elizabeth Diaz60 said:On this somber Thursday, my dear mother passed away. She was only 49 years old. It has been nearly three years since her initial diagnosis of a glioma, and she had been immobile for this past year. She spent her final ten days in the hospital due to a sudden decline in her condition. Her status during her stay remained unpredictable, leaving us with the flickering hope that we might finally bring her back home.
She spent her entire life, including those grueling final years, surrounded by those who loved her most. Even in her final moments, she was not alone; my sister, my wife, my sister's partner, and I were all right there by her side. Just as she did throughout her whole life, she fought until the very end.
She was an extraordinary woman throughout her lifetime, someone who lived entirely for her family—for her children, her husband, and her parents. She always prioritized our well-being over her own, without exception.

Thank you, Mother, for everything.
You will live on through us and through the generations to come...

You are clearly aware of the immense strength she maintained until the very end, just as you feel the depth of the love she held and the heavy burden of her absence. I am truly sorry that things could not have turned out differently, though I am certain that by following in her footsteps, you will find yourself even more resilient during these difficult days. Please accept my deepest condolences...

My honest thoughts on Elizabeth Diaz60😢

Please accept my most sincere condolences.

Elizabeth Diaz60 said:My wonderful mother passed away this sad Thursday. She was only 49...

Thank you for everything, Mom!
You'll live on through us and our children forever!

You said it all... and so beautifully!
Sending my deepest condolences...

I’m so sorry; my deepest condolences 😢

Elizabeth Diaz60 said:This heartbreaking Thursday, my dear mother passed away. She was only 49. It’s been nearly three years since her diagnosis (a glioma), and she had been immobile for this past year. She spent her final ten days in the hospital due to complications. Her condition fluctuated during her stay, and we truly held onto the hope that she might be able to come home.
She spent her entire life, including those difficult final years, surrounded by those who loved her most. Even in her final moments, she wasn't alone. My sister, my wife, my sister's partner, and I were all right there by her side. Just as she did throughout her whole life, she fought until the very end.
She was an extraordinary woman. She lived entirely for her family—for her children, her husband, and her parents. She always looked after us, never herself.

Thank you for everything, Mom!
You will live on through us and through our children forever.

My deepest condolences.😢

Frank Taylor4 said:Hi there,
my cousin went through chemotherapy and actually handled it quite well; he didn't even experience any hair loss, though he did take his regular chemo along with some kind of natural immune booster from the United States. If you're interested, I can certainly look into it for you, since I don't know the specifics myself right now.

Thanks so much for sharing that! It honestly makes me feel so much better to hear that your cousin didn't have to deal with those harsh side effects. Regarding the immune support, my mother is already taking a few supplements and some local propolis... her oncologist hasn't suggested anything else, so I'm assuming everything is on the right track.👍
I was wondering, if you don't mind me asking, what specific type of cancer is your cousin fighting, and has it spread at all—if so, where?

Elizabeth Diaz60 said:On this heavy Thursday, my dear mother passed away. She was only 49 years old. It has been nearly three years since her diagnosis (glioma), and she had been immobile for this past year. She spent her final ten days in the hospital due to her condition worsening. Her status during her stay was quite unpredictable, and we truly held onto the hope that she might be able to come back home to us.
She spent her entire life, including those difficult final years, surrounded by the people who loved her most. Even in her very last moments, she wasn't alone; my sister, my wife, my sister's partner, and I were all right there by her side. Just as she did throughout her whole life, she fought with everything she had until the very end.
She was such an extraordinary woman throughout her lifetime. She lived entirely for her family—for her children, her husband, and her parents. She always put our needs before her own, focusing on caring for us rather than herself.

Thank you, Mom, for everything!
You will live on forever through us and through our children!

Elizabeth Diaz60, please accept my deepest, most sincere condolences...

rustyscout31 said:Thanks for the heads-up. I’m genuinely glad to hear your cousin didn't run into any side effects. Regarding the immune system, my mother is already taking some supplements and raw propolis. Her oncologist didn't suggest anything else, so I assume we're fine sticking to that plan.👍
I’m curious—what specific type of cancer is your cousin fighting, and has it metastasized? If so, where?

My cousin has testicular cancer. I’m not entirely sure which specific chemo regimen he’s on, but he’s undergoing treatment. Another relative sent him some IPv6 with inositol from the States—it's a supplement that's huge over there, practically marketed as a "cancer killer" in certain circles. As far as we know, there's no metastasis yet. I actually ran this by Dr. Žižek, an immunologist based in Washington, D.C., and she said it’s a solid preparation. It’s a little bit of alternative medicine to back up the conventional stuff. I found the product online and the reviews are glowing. We're just grasping at straws here.

Elizabeth Diaz60 said:My dear mother passed away this tragic Thursday. She was only 49. It’s been nearly three years since her diagnosis (glioma), and she spent this last year immobile. She spent her final ten days in the hospital as things took a turn for the worse. Her condition fluctuated during her stay, and we kept hoping we could bring her home.
She lived her entire life surrounded by those she loved, including those difficult final years. Even in her last moments, she wasn't alone. My sister, my wife, my sister's partner, and I were all right there beside her. Just like her whole life, she fought until the very end.
She was an extraordinary woman. She lived entirely for her family—her children, her husband, and her parents. She always put us first and never thought of herself.

Thank you, Mom, for everything.
You will live on through us and our children forever.

We are so sorry for your loss... she is in a better place now.

Elizabeth Diaz60, please accept my deepest condolences for such a massive, irreplaceable loss.
I truly get what you're going through because I went through the exact same thing just two weeks ago, and now I'm stuck learning how to navigate a world where he's just gone.
Still, my dad, your mom, and everyone else who's moved on to a better place will continue to live through us every single day.

When I dwell on everything that happened, I feel the sadness, but the moment I start thinking about him—about my dad and the kind of man he was—I immediately feel lighter. A smile actually comes back to my face because his character and everything we shared bring it right back. I believe the same will happen for you.

I am incredibly grateful that I had the amazing gift of spending those last few months with my dad, just having that time for ourselves. You should be grateful for that, too.
What I'll say is this: it would be a beautiful thing if everyone in this world had the chance and the grace to say goodbye to their loved ones the way I was able to, the way you were, and the way others here have been. We really should be thankful for that.
Just stay strong and keep moving forward.

Angela Wright, I couldn't shoot you a DM because your inbox is totally maxed out—you probably need to clear out some old stuff first. Best, Grace Edwards50